A couple with two children out of work would receive around £13500 per annum in JSA, CHB and CTC.

By 'holiday' do you mean a short break budget holiday like a caravan - which is quite easy to do on benefit if you have good budgeting skills, or do you mean expensive holidays in exotic locations?

If it's the latter, it's not do-able on benefit unless:

*they have savings, which is permitted - up to £16000 whilst in receipt of income based benefit.
*someone else is paying for their holiday
*they are receiving grants for holiday (some charities offer grants for this)
*they are claiming fraudulently.

For anyone who claims to have no capital who is living on basic benefit with a small family and who is having exotic holidays abroad several times a year, I would argue that their claim is not legitimate because they have a lifestyle not consistent with their income.

Unfortunately many people fail to realise that the vast majority of people with legitimate claims to benefit do not fall into the same category as fraudsters who are claiming dishonestly.

honestly thats what i dont GET about these threads. People claim it 'only happens on netmums' but the benefits calculator is THERE for you to have a look at yourself! You can SEE how much people get

And if your not in work with 4 kids you get the same take-home pay as someone on 40k a year... with extras.

Its not some made-up mythical fantasy, its actually whats happening!!!!

I just had a look. If neither my husband or I were working we'd be about £500 a month worse off (and £700-£800 on those months he would usually do overtime) than we are at the moment, my husband earns the average wage for London. I am not working at the moment, so I do claim tax credits. If I go back to work in September (when my kids are at school and I only have 1 to find childcare for) we will be several hundred pounds a month better off than we are now, with one of us working. We are pretty close to the line at the moment so we simply wouldn't be able to live on benefits.

I just don't believe people are better off on benefits, unless they claim fraudulently

I just had a look. If neither my husband or I were working we'd be about £500 a month worse off (and £700-£800 on those months he would usually do overtime) than we are at the moment, my husband earns the average wage for London. I am not working at the moment, so I do claim tax credits. If I go back to work in September (when my kids are at school and I only have 1 to find childcare for) we will be several hundred pounds a month better off than we are now, with one of us working. We are pretty close to the line at the moment so we simply wouldn't be able to live on benefits.

I just don't believe people are better off on benefits, unless they claim fraudulently

Did you also take into account possible DLA and carers allowance for kids and/or adults? and the extra tax credits you get in you receive DLA.

Not everyone is just on income support and family tax credits. The vast majority are, but many are also claiming other benefits on top of the standard IS and FT.

So perhaps when people say they are better off not working they may be claiming more than you know about.

But you are making out there is a problem with people claiming benefits when most people on this thread are discussing the system IYSWIM? Not every thread about benefits is out to bash the claimants.

Apologies. I'm trying to get ready for a bbq and didn't read properly

A lot of the time it depends on housing cost's as for someone working and just above the threshold for claiming WTC, their housing cost's can push them under the poverty threshold and for someone who is totally relaint on benefits, most of these cost's are covered.

This is exactly what the benefits system is designed for and I am sorry you have been through such a hard time

I don't think anyone is disputing having a welfare system at all just that it sometimes doesn't pay to work.

Did you also take into account possible DLA and carers allowance for kids and/or adults? and the extra tax credits you get in you receive DLA.

Not everyone is just on income support and family tax credits. The vast majority are, but many are also claiming other benefits on top of the standard IS and FT.

So perhaps when people say they are better off not working they may be claiming more than you know about.

Sam, do you think that it is easy to claim DLA? Also DLA is paid for regardless of income and can not be taken into considerstion whatsoever. The post you quoted did miss housing and council tax benefit

A couple with two children out of work would receive around £13500 per annum in JSA, CHB and CTC.

By 'holiday' do you mean a short break budget holiday like a caravan - which is quite easy to do on benefit if you have good budgeting skills, or do you mean expensive holidays in exotic locations?

If it's the latter, it's not do-able on benefit unless:

*they have savings, which is permitted - up to £16000 whilst in receipt of income based benefit.
*someone else is paying for their holiday
*they are receiving grants for holiday (some charities offer grants for this)
*they are claiming fraudulently.

For anyone who claims to have no capital who is living on basic benefit with a small family and who is having exotic holidays abroad several times a year, I would argue that their claim is not legitimate because they have a lifestyle not consistent with their income.

Unfortunately many people fail to realise that the vast majority of people with legitimate claims to benefit do not fall into the same category as fraudsters who are claiming dishonestly.

I see you didn't factor in housing cost's above which is what sometimes pushes those who are not working to be better off financially than those who do work. So take for example your couple above with 2 children in receipt of £13,500k in benefits. Factor in housing cost's of £9k (just an average figure but more than realistic) and that pushes their income up to £22,500K. You would have to earn close to £30k to have a net income of £22,500K.

I see you didn't factor in housing cost's above which is what sometimes pushes those who are not working to be better off financially than those who do work. So take for example your couple above with 2 children in receipt of £13,500k in benefits. Factor in housing cost's of £9k (just an average figure but more than realistic) and that pushes their income up to £22,500K. You would have to earn close to £30k to have a net income of £22,500K.

im not really sure what im talking about.. but although it might seem that people on benefits get more. does working tax credit kind of make up for it?

Did you also take into account possible DLA and carers allowance for kids and/or adults? and the extra tax credits you get in you receive DLA.

Not everyone is just on income support and family tax credits. The vast majority are, but many are also claiming other benefits on top of the standard IS and FT.

So perhaps when people say they are better off not working they may be claiming more than you know about.

fair enough. but then i think people who are carers and/or have disabled dependants probably should be better off not working, so they can care for the people who need them, so that wouldn't be something I would ever rant about!

A lot of people on benefits do also qualify for DLA. That was my only point. Those people who look like they are financially comfortable while on benefits could also be claiming other benefits like DLA which would top up their benefits quite substancially . That was my only point lol

Plenty of people said that there is no way you can be better off on benefits, well you certainly can be.

fair enough. but then i think people who are carers and/or have disabled dependants probably should be better off not working, so they can care for the people who need them, so that wouldn't be something I would ever rant about!

You will be surprised by the amount of people who do though, unfortunately.

A lot of people on benefits do also qualify for DLA. That was my only point. Those people who look like they are financially comfortable while on benefits could also be claiming other benefits like DLA which would top up their benefits quite substancially . That was my only point lol

Plenty of people said that there is no way you can be better off on benefits, well you certainly can be.

I think you are missing the point of DLA, it is paid (for genuine cases) to assist people with disabilities live their life, pay for equipment, go to hospital. It is not easy to claim and as pp said, you can claim it whatever your income is, you should not consider dla as a source of 'income' eg if you went to get a mortgage, it is discounted because of this reason

This situation has nothing to do with benefits, its to do with the people - they are too lazy to work for their money. IMO that is wrong (I say they are too lazy due to the fact they are not working so they can get benefits)
Me and my partner both work he works from 1pm - 7pm on mondays
9am - 9pm on Tuesdays with 1 short break and 1 lunch break
5pm - 10.30pm on wednesday
1pm - 9pm thursdays
1pm - 10pm on fridays
8am - 6pm on saturdays
and has sundays off! - He brings home £750 per month as he is on minimum wage and the cost is spread over the whole year (he has a week off in half terms, a week at xmas, a week at easter and about 2 weeks in the summer he is lucky there)

I work Monday + Tuesday 8 - 10am
Wednesday - 1 - 5pm
Thursday 8 - 12 then 1 - 7.30
Friday 8 - 9 then 12 - 3
and have the weekend off and I bring home approx 350 per month (I get paid hourly so if I am not there I dont get paid)

I would say that is alot of working - but not alot of money - therefore I am entitled to some benefits...if I sat and home and did sweet f all I would probably be a little bit better off BUT I choose to work for my money and the only reason me or OH dont work more is because we cant afford any more childcare than we already pay for as that is so expensive too.

This is totally their mistake...I would rather my little Mr grow up learning you should work for your money and knowing that I did my best to teach him right and wrong, he is loved and clothed and fed than knowing I can cheat and afford 3 holidays a year - we go to grandma's house for a weekend - about a 15 min drive from us, a 'holiday' is what you make it!

I though for a long time about whether to go on benefits. The thought of a tempting £1900 in my pocket, no having to get up for work and being able to cope with all the appointments housework etc was almost overwhelming. BUT when your kids grow up what then? No job skills no career and a cv that says benefits. Hard as it is I would rather struggle on with a part time job and generous tax credits to help me through and then I will have a job when they are grown up and can increase my hours.

I think you are missing the point of DLA, it is paid (for genuine cases) to assist people with disabilities live their life, pay for equipment, go to hospital. It is not easy to claim and as pp said, you can claim it whatever your income is, you should not consider dla as a source of 'income' eg if you went to get a mortgage, it is discounted because of this reason

No I'm not missing the point of DLA

Three people in my house receive it so I understand how it works. As for it being easy, you must have missed Cameron's latest rambles about the form renewal process and how he plans to change it. I agree that it is hard to get in the first place, but the renewal system is poor and Cameron agrees lol

I obviously didn't make my point very clear. My only point was to the poster who said that people who don't work can't really afford to have nice things unless they are claiming fraudulently. Well unless you know their situation and what money they have coming in you can't say that they can only afford nice stuff on benefits because they are being frauds. Perhaps they are also claiming other things like DLA..

I don't know how to explain it better than that lol It was just a side remark to a post here, that's all.

the only people i have ever come across on benefits who live this supposed luxury lifestyle have either been drug dealers or working for cash in hand. Everyone else has struggled to get by. The government don't dish out gold bars with peoples job seekers allowance you know!